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, , Canadian Topics By FRANK ARMSTRONG Coming Events Hold Much Interest Still Laud Rogers Ride on Collisteo Queens Own Commands Supporters TORONTO, Ont., Can., June 19.— Public reaction in racing at Woodbine Park is approaching fever heat since the running , , of of the the Queens Queens Plate Plate of of the the Queens Queens Plate Plate Saturday a week ago. It has indeed been an eventful week at the OJC Course. The tyros and the sophomores are in the leading roie, with the handicappers merely lending support. But racing of the past week presents a sort of intriguing problem of the future and turf fans fans like like nothine nothing bet- fans fans like like nothine nothing bet- better than intrigue on coming warfare of the racing strip. All of this speculation of coming events stems from the Queens Plate won by Bur -Fit Stables Collisteo, who out-finished E. P. Taylors Queens Own for a head verdict, with the McMacken Stables 1-4 chance, King Maple, in the show position. The rank and file just couldnt believe that King Maple could be beaten — that was before the running. The expert observers declared, in a measure, that Collisteo won by a superior ride from Chris Rogers which enabled him to trounce Queens Own. The winner was credited with a game performance and there was no suggestion that his score was a fluke. He won on his merits," but his challengers at the finish did not have quite the same good racing luck. We suppose riders can contribute to racing luck and Rogers never did make a wrong move in the nine furlongs run for the Queens guineas. It is .a matter of opinion, and a moot question, if Alberts on Queens Own, or Lindberg on King Maple were guilty of poor riding judgment. In the opinion of this department, both riders used excellent judgment and one or the other might have been proclaimed a hero if racing liick had been more favorable. They were unfortunate enough to-encounter a spot of interference in their endeavor. Such circumstance is a daily occurrence on the racing strip. Difference of opinion makes horse racing and controversy on the relative merits of horses creates an interest. These three-year-olds have become topical subjects of the moment hereabouts. The plot thickens. Queens Own, after defeat in the Queens Plate, returned to competition five days after his mile and a furlong effort and won the mile and one-sixteenth Toronto Cup. He won in an easy manner, to suggest that his supporters may have been correct when they said he was the "best horse on the plate." He had no trouble turning back Loose Rock, who had won a 0,000 stakes in Detroit. His many supporters reverted to the old race track vernacular, "I told you he was the best colt." Admittedly, he looked like a good colt when he won the Cup, obvi1 ously sharper than he was in the Plate. It is unlikely that he will race again before the Prince of "Wales Stakes on June 26, thus the heightened interest in the three-year-old division. Owner "Pete" Burton of the Bur-Fit Stable opined that his Queens Plate winner, Collisteo, could improve to the same extent as Queens Own. Said he, "We won the Plate, probably had the breaks, and perhaps Queens Own was short, but our colt can improve as much as the next one. I wouldnt suggest that hes better than Mr. Taylors colt, but we beat him once and we might beat him again." There is no lack of confidence in the McMacken forces anent the possibility that King Maple will regain his best form and assert the same authority that he did until his failure in -the Plate. In the opinion of owner McMacken, his champion two-year-old who was named Canadas Horse of the Year in 1953, only had on off day, and he was not forgetful of the fact that these "off days" hit too many good horses in their important engagements. He still thinks he has the best three-year-old in Canada. He expects to prove his theory in the Prince of Wales Plate. All of this builds up to the fact that Canuck three-year-olds add color to the Woodbine racing stage. In the two-year-old division, theres a sprightly lass called Flirt. The filly carries the colors of Mrs. E. P. Taylor. Shes a grey-coated miss of French parentage, Canadian-foaled, who runs fast with a degree of authority. She won the ,000-added My Dear Stakes and was quite impressive when she outran the members of her own division and registered without need of urging. Unbeaten in two starts, she looks like one of the better two-year-old fillies hereabouts. Benroman, who is the first Canadian who claims Roman as his sire, has all the appearances of a top-notcher. He won the Clarendon Stakes without effort, five furlongs in 1:00, short of record time and unhurried. The three Count Fleet fillies have been delayed be- cause of bucked shins and will enliven two-year-old competition in the near future. There are some other promising youngsters who will challenge for supremacy after recovery from their minor spring ailments. Improvement of the breed is an old story, but we doubt if there has been a better crop of two-year-olds to grace the local turf stage. This department theorizes that more than a few top-notchers will develop from the present crop. Woodbines book with relation to features was fashioned principally for two and three-year-olds, probably in the best interests of the public and the race track. Owners of better class oldsters have complained hi a mild manner anent the lack of opportunity for their horses in the four-and-up division. There are more than a few good handicap performers in this sector, such as North Downs Farms Risque Rouge, E. P. Taylors English import, Castleton, and his Irish filly, Fair Colleen; Lou Cheslers imported Assuan from Francois Dupres farm in France, Scene One from the Chesler Stable and a few others in the same category. All from this division seem to have their quota of stake opportunities, but it may be the fault of owners and trainers that they fail to fill the "in between handicaps." Seems that an owner or trainer is reluctant to tangle with one or another rival, consequently races fail to fill. So the owner or trainer decries the lack of opportunity and decides to race elsewhere. It isnt a happy situation, but we must guess that the fault rests with the horsemen.
